Page 9 of Babies for the Christmas Grump

“Well, I assume you’ll want to know all the details about the hotel?”

She doesn’t answer right away, but after a pause, she gives a tight nod and steps further into the room, closing the door softly behind her.

I sit back down, keeping my hands folded on the desk, the smooth leather of the chair trapping me in place. The last thing I need right now is this distraction.

“So,” I start, opening the first report, “let’s go over the hotel’s financials. The transition hasn’t been smooth, and I’ll be blunt, it’s not looking good.”

I don’t sugarcoat it. I can’t afford to. This hotel is deep in the red. Evie for sure had her issues. There’s no room for missteps, no time for small talk.

I glance up at her, expecting to see the confident, no-nonsense demeanor of a businesswoman. But there’s something else there. A flicker of uncertainty, maybe even frustration, as she takes a seat opposite me.

Her fingers tap lightly against the desk, betraying her nerves. She’s trying to keep it together, to process everything, but I can tell she’s flustered. Still, I’m not giving her any time to catch up.

I flip through the documents as I explain the grim details.

“As you can see, the hotel’s profitability has been in decline for the past few years. Expenses are up, occupancy rates are down, and the staff has been stretched thin. We’re in a tough spot, and the financials don’t lie.”

She shifts in her seat, leaning forward slightly, her arms crossed. “I see.”

“Following so far?”

She nods. “Yeah, it’s just a lot. I inherited this hotel, and I wonder if I’ll even be able to turn it around. With no background…”

“Well, I mean, I’m here to help.”

“Yeah, okay.” She sucks in a sharp breath. “So, tell me what I’m missing here, Ryder. What’s the plan? How do we fix this mess?”

Her question is simple, but it hangs above us. I take a breath, calming myself.

“The plan is straightforward,” I say, my tone cutting through the tension. “We need to stabilize the hotel first, cut back on unnecessary expenses, and focus on increasing occupancy.”

“That sounds rough.” Her hands knot together in front of her. “What about instead making things more excitingaround here.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “What are you talking about?”

She offers me a one-shouldered shrug. “Well, it’s nearly Christmas. Why not have some events?”

Instantly, I see money hemorrhaging.

“Events, huh?” I lean back in my chair, folding my arms across my chest as my lips turn down into a frown. “And where exactly do you think the funds are coming from for this excitement you’re proposing?”

Her eyes flash with a spark of defiance, and for a second, I almost forget we’re talking about the hotel’s financial collapse. She’s got a fire that I already know is going to be hard to handle.

“We could start small,” she says confidently. “Some themed dinners or something. Something that gets people in here.”

I hate that idea.

I see no need to create a scene around the holidays.

“Sounds risky,” I mutter, tapping my fingers on the desk. “Events like that take time, they take resources, and they definitely take money. I don’t know if we have enough to pull it off.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know. I think I can do it.”

Oh boy. And I thought Evie was stubborn.

CHAPTER THREE

Sunny